MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) – With the FIFA World Cup kicking off in just two weeks, the City of Miami Beach has begun transforming into a global stage for fans of all ages.<\/p>\n
The city sprinkled 16-foot tall inflatable soccer balls in parks and public spaces across the city. They each represent the nations participating in the tournament.<\/p>\n
Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner spoke with 7News about the installation earlier this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve placed 48 massive soccer balls throughout our city in public spaces, representing each team that\u2019s going to be participating in FIFA,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
7News cameras captured a couple and their toddler in front of one of the giant balls, this one representing Team USA in front of Miami Beach City Hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe love Cristiano Ronaldo. We love Neymar also,\u201d said the boy\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n
7Skyforce captured the football fun from above, snapping shots of the Team Germany and Japan inflatables.<\/p>\n
Miami-Dade County is set to welcome roughly a million soccer fans when the tournament kicks off.<\/p>\n
Meiner said his city is more than ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cFans from all over the worlf, they\u2019re gonna be here showcasing Miami Beach, already known as a beautiful, safe, clean city, but the world is gonna get to see it on a first-class stage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
That first-class stage stretches all across Miami Beach.<\/p>\n
On Lincoln Road, soccer fans from countries like Brazil and Australia have already begun to hit the official FIFA World Cup 2026 Store, getting their merch ahead of the first match.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing where I live is a special excitement, because it\u2019s going to be at home, we\u2019re gonna have the energy, and we have such a huge Brazilian community in Miami, so I think the energy is gonna be off the chart,\u201d said Brazilian fan Lucas Nascimento.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think France will go all the way, but we\u2019ll see. Let\u2019s go the Aussies,\u201d said Australian fan Julian Blainey.<\/p>\n
For the fans taking over Miami Beach, the friendly competition is all in the name of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are friendly enemies, so we do have a competition, but let\u2019s cheer, because soccer brings everybody together,\u201d said Nascimento.<\/p>\n